Battle of Ishigakibaru

The Battle of Ishigakibaru occurred on 13 September 1600 during the Sengoku period. During the civil war between Ieyasu Tokugawa and Mitsunari Ishida, Tokugawa's general Kanbei Kuroda and former Toyotomi general Kiyomasa Kato continued Hideyoshi Toyotomi's conquest of Kyushu, which was resisted by Ginchiyo Tachibana and Motochika Chosokabe. The rebels used Tateishi Castle as their main camp, and they chose to do battle near the mysterious Stone Labyrinth, which threatened to confuse the Tokugawa army.

The Eastern Army's advancce was impeded by the Stone Labyrinth, but Kiyomasa Kato was able to navigate a path through the maze and towards the central garrison, defended by Motochika Chosokabe. Kiyomasa succeeded in defeating Motochika and capturing the garrison, and Muneyuki Yoshihiro's riflemen attempted to hold back Kiyomasa's advancing forces. However, Kiyomasa cut a path through the riflemen and was able to force Muneyuki to retreat. As Kiyomasa neared Tateishi Castle, Yoshihiro Shimazu and Muneshige Tachibana arrived with their own armies to reinforce Yoshimune Otomo. Ginchiyo decided to leave Tateishi Castle to join forces with her husband's army, but Kiyomasa Kato was able to intercept and defeat Ginchiyo, as well as taking the castle from Yoshimune.

Yoshihiro was the last of the Western Army generals on the battlefield, so he decided to lead his army in an assault on Kuroda's main camp in the northeast. The combined forces of the Eastern Army descended upon Yoshihiro's force, which was promptly routed. The Western Army retreated, and Kyushu was subdued.